Engine-starting apparatus



('35 W. ELSEY V ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 19. 1924 Patented Dec. 7. 1926.

UNITED STATES" OF #NDERSON, INDIANA. ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL MOTORS CQR- POBATION, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.-

GEORGE W. ELSEY,

' ENGINE-STARTING APPARATUS.

Application filed December 19,- 1924. Serial No. 757,068.

type of" such apparatus provides means for manually engaging the gears and for closing a switch to cause the motor to operate to crank the engine. In such apparatus means are generally provided for'permitting theclosing of the motor switch prior to actual meshing of gears in case the ends of the'motor pinion teeth should collide with the ends of the engine gear teeth. In this way the motor is caused to operate before gear meshing in order to register the pinion teeth with the tooth spaces of-the engine ar. a One of the objects of the present invention 0 is to simplify the construction of the means referred to inorder that cost of manufacture of starting apparatus may be materially reduced.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention is 'clearly shown.

In the drawings:

F ig.- 1 is a fragmentary side view partly in section showing starting apparatus embodying the present. invention.

. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the apparatus in position for cranking the engine.

. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

The starting apparatus comprises an electric motor having a field frame 21,to which is attached a motor switch 22 provided with a switch \plunger 23 normally held in switch open-position by spring 24. The frame 21 is attached to a gear housing 25 provided with a'bearing 26. The hearing 26 and afbearing not shown carried by the field frame 21 support an armature shaft 27 having a spirally splined portion 28 and provided with a stop collar 29 which abuts a thrust washer 30 interposedbetween the collar 29 and the finished or plane surface 31Lprovided bythe housing 25.

motor pinion 32 is internally spirally splined or broached to threadedly engage the splines 28 of shaft 27. Pinion 32 is adapted toumesh with and to drive a gear 33 driven by the engine, usually the form of flywheel gear. .Pinion 32 is formed integrally with a hub or sleeve 34which surrounds the shaft 27 and which carries two flanges 35 and 36 which define an annular groove 37. A pinion shifting lever including arms 38 and a yoke 39 is pivotally mounted 'upon a rod 40 supported by brackets 41 provided-by the 'gear housing or) 25. The lever arms 38 are received by the groove 37. The flange 35 is normally maintained against a stopmember 42'provided by shaft 27 by a .spring having an intermediate portion 4 3 coiled about the rod 40, having one end 44 resting upon the motor field frame 21 having the other end bearing against the lever 39. p

Mechanism for operating the pinion shifting lever 38 includes a pedal 50 connected by a rod 51 with the free end of'a leafs ring of the cantilever type having its fixe enc secured by a rivet 53 to the yoke 54 of a lever which includes bifurcations 5'5 pivotally supported on rod 40. The lever arms 55 at their lower ends are joined by a stud or pin 56 which provides a pivot for a latch 57 having a hooked portion 58 adapted to extend through an aperture 59 in the pinion shifting lever yoke 39. The hook portion is adapted to engage the surface of the yoke facing or adjacent the motor field frame 21.

Latch 57 includes a lever arm 60 which is apertured to receive one end of a spring 61 which is shaped so as to extend over the rod 40 and. between the lever arms 55. The spring 61 is secured at its fixed end by a screw 62 threadedly engaging the gear housing 25. The spring 61 normally biases the latch 57 in a counterclockwise direction so that normally motion will be transmitted from the lever arms 55 to the lever arms 38 when the former are movedin a counterclockwise direction.

The manner of using the invention is as follows: i

To start the engine pedal 50 is pressed thereby causing the spring lever arm 52 to move-in a counterclockwise direction thereby causing the latch 57 to move to the right in Fig. 1 to'move the lever arms 38 in a 2 neoaesa counterclockwise direction and the motor switch regardless of the arrestin of the m0- pinion 32 into engagement with the engine tion of the inion. By means 0 the present. gear 33. After gear engagementhas been inventiont e construction has been simpliaifected, the free end of the spring arm 52 fied and cost of manufacture reduced by will have moved suiiiciently to engage the making the usual pedal lever a flexible lever plunger 23 of switch 22 and to cause said in order that motion of the pedal to close plunger to move into switch closing posithe switch may bepermitted in case of gear tion. This condition is shown in Fig. 2. tooth abutment.

The motor will then start and rotate the While the form of embodiment of the shaft 27 thereby causing the pinion 32 to be present invention as herein disclosed constimoved longitudinally against the stop 29, tutes preferred forms, it is to'be understood 52 to contact with the switch plunger 23 and the p g POItiOIl n and thereafter, the pinion and shaft will ro that other forms might be adopted, all comtate togetherto turn the engine gear 33. I g W h l h scope of the claims. which During movement of the pinion 32 from follow.

the position shown in Fig. l to that shown What s claimed is as follows:

in Fig. 2 the status of the spring 61 will be 1. Engme starting apparatus comprising, changed, and it will be reconditioned for In OIIIbIDatlOlI, an electric-motor; a motor biasing the latch 57 in the opposite sense so i e p n n r ven by the motor. and that, immediately the motor operates and adapted to be movedmto engagement with pressure between the latch 57 and the lever a gear connected with the engine be yoke 39 is relieved, the spring 61 will be reand means for moving the pimon leased to cause the latch 57 to move clocklIltO g g ntwlth the engine gear and wise into the position shown in Fig. 2, this f 9 11,; the motor sw1tch, said means in. figure shows that the connection between the l ding a lever having a pivoting portion pedal into pinion shifting lever 38 is inand a fl xi le portion extending therefrom, terrupted. Consequently, when the engine m s f r transmitting motion to the pin- .becomes self-operative, the pinion 32 may 1011 m e P V mg portlon, and a pedal be automatically demeshed by virtue of eehheeted W the fieXlhle r lOn ad awnt superior rotation of the engine gear, relative e d, file flexing of t e lever permitto the pinion and the spirally splined congP U f epedal to nection between the pinion and motor shaft. regardless 0f gthe movement of the close the switch" If the pinion 32 should be arrested dur- P g Pertieh d to ehhhheht of the P ing its endwise'movement into mesh'with Wlth F bf h engine-gear. the engine gear by reason of the ends of the E g e starting apparatus comprispinion teeth striking the ends of the gear 111g, 1h cfhhblhetlfma eh elechllc teeth, the apparatus will permitthe closing motor swltch havlhg-iah e fi Shaft of the motor switch although further Operated y the m a P 2 nby movement of the pinion shifting lever 38 is P Shaft h movable ehdwlse thereupon prevented. In order to accomplish thisthe q mesh W h a e r connected with the mechanism includes the leaf spring lever 52 ehglhe to he tarte a plnlon shifting levwhich may bend regardless of arresting the e a pedal leverunclud ng a pivoting pormovement of the lever 38 and the lever 55. he p o xlally Wlth the pinion shift- Continued pressure upon the pedal 50 will. g l and POhDeCteQ therewith;- ehd therefore cause the free ends of the lever chldmg a X le P01171011 extending from adjacent the motor move the latter into switch closing position. SWltch actuator and a Pedal connected With I When this occurs the motor will turn' the t flexible Portion of the Pe r.

pinion 32 into registration with the engine h v gear 33, Th dditi l energy hi h h In combination, an electric motor; a motor been stored in the spring 52 by reason of Switch having/eh actuator; Pinion driven bending it -from its normal condition will h) motor and mounted for movement.

be suddenly released to quickly move or Q mesh with a gear connected with the jump;the pinion 32 into mesh with the ene g he started; lever having P gine gear. mg portion and a flexible portion extendin \It is apparent therefore that the construc-' therefrom and edltlceht t 9 motor m tion of starting apparatus of this type has actuator; means c nnec ing the pivoting been I much Simplified. Prior devices have POItiOIl With the pinion for shifting the latincluded a pedal rod connected with a lever, fer into engagement With the engine gear pivoted on the starter frame, from which and a pedal connected with said flexible pormotion is transmitted to the pinion to move 'tion. it endwise when it isdesired to start the env 4. Engine starting apparatus comprising, gine. Heretofore varlous forms of resilient in combination, an electric motor, a motor connections have been nterposed. between switch; a pinion driven by the motor and the pedal lever and the pinion in order that mounted for movement into mesh with a the pedal maybe operated to close the motor gear connected with the engine to be startgine starting apparatus comprising,

ed; an actuating member having a flexible portion, means connecting the actuating member With the pinion for shifting the latter into engagement with the engine gear; and a pedal for closing the motor switch and for moving the actuating member, the pedal being connected with the flexible portion at a location spaced from the location of the connection of the actuating member with the pinion shifting means.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

GEORGE W. ELSEY. 

